Every September, FEMA recognizes “National Preparedness Month” to promote disaster and emergency planning throughout the year. Preparedness is a key part of the disaster management cycle. The steps of the cycle are: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Preparedness occurs at multiple levels, from personal and family preparations to community, state, and even national scope as well as in corporate organizations. Practicing preparedness can make all the difference to the efficiency and effectiveness of response to critical events. Whether it’s a natural disaster or a security threat, taking the time to prepare for emergencies ensures that the response is swift when they do occur.
One of the best applications of large-scale preparedness is the 24/7 command center, with large video walls for data sharing and space for multiple operators to collaborate.
Emergency operations centers that activate in times of natural disasters are one of the best-known types of command centers. With the use of a large-format video wall, operators in an EOC can track and predict weather patterns and measure the potential impact of a storm or other natural disaster. Locally based EOCs communicate with larger operations on a state and national level to coordinate efforts and to share resources and information. EOCs also coordinate immediate responses to emergency situations, including not only events at the height of the storm but also incidents that occur as a result such as flooding and mudslides.
The design of an emergency operations center is important; since an EOC serves as the central hub of incident preparation and response it must be able to gather and share critical information, coordinate response initiatives, and manage personnel — often across various departments. The design of an EOC should facilitate ease of use rather than distract from the vital roles that operators play. At Constant, we know that public safety in a critical event can depend on an operations center running at peak efficiency. Staff in an emergency operations center must be able to display a variety of data on the video wall so that information can be aggregated and analyzed quickly to make potentially lifesaving decisions.
There are other types of emergencies besides just severe weather or natural disaster, however. Security emergencies which can pose a threat to business operations, sensitive data, property, or even lives can occur at any moment. Cyber command centers and security operations centers are a key component of monitoring potential threats so that they can either be mitigated before materializing or responded to as efficiently as possible should they develop into a critical event.
A security operations center (SOC) gives an organization a central location to prepare for and deal with a variety of security issues. Rapid response time is crucial, and operators must have all the necessary tools so they can react immediately when situations arise. Whether it’s actively monitoring CCTV security cameras in a SOC or looking out for vulnerabilities in a cyber command center, the operators need to be able to respond rapidly and in real-time to emerging threats. The monitoring capabilities within these environments allow them to practice preparedness for critical events.
From space design and ergonomic considerations to video wall systems and control room furniture, Constant Technologies provides you with what you need for a turnkey ops center installation that is ready to be jump into action at a moment’s notice.
Constant’s operations center furniture solutions are custom designed to maximize collaboration within a mission critical environment. Our design team will help you find the best layout as well as audiovisual technology rated for round-the-clock use.
To jump start your preparedness with a new operations center, contact us today.
About Constant:
Constant Technologies, Inc. provides AV integration for 24/7 video walls and custom operation center furniture. With 30+ years of experience, we can work with sensitive environments in the public and private sectors. Constant designs and installs projects of all scopes and sizes around the world. We also offer long-term service and support. We create solutions with the highest levels of security, aesthetics and functionality in mind.
